-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Qatar 's government says it 's investigating complaints that sprinklers and alarms were n't working during a fire at an upscale Doha shopping mall that killed 19 people , most of them children in a nursery .

The fatalities at the Villaggio shopping mall included seven girls , six boys , four teachers , and two other adults , the Persian Gulf monarchy 's interior ministry said Monday . Rescuers were unable to reach the nursery from the inside and had to break into it from the rooftop , Health Minister Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani told the state news agency QNA .

The government has set up a committee to investigate `` the causes and circumstances '' of the blaze , QNA announced Monday night . The agency quoted Brig. Gen. Othman al-Duhaimi , the operations chief for Qatar 's civil defense agency , as saying alarms went off in some shops , and that some of the pipes that carried water for the sprinklers may have been leaking -- and that those issues would be addressed in the investigation .

Christine Wigton , an American living in Doha , told CNN she heard `` a buzzer , not very loud '' as she walked into the mall , but heard no loud alarms as smoke built up inside . Elementary school-age children were eating at some of the restaurants and no one was trying to escape , she said .

`` When I got a little bit closer , I realized the smoke was just increasing and people were still shopping . And the smoke kept getting heavier and heavier , '' Wigton said . She said she left when the smoke became `` too much . ''

`` There were no sprinklers , and there was nothing that would tell somebody that something was wrong , '' she said .

Built in 2006 , the mall advertises itself as `` the newest and the largest entertainment center in Doha . '' The Venice-themed complex features gondola rides down an indoor canal , an artificial sky , a 13-screen movie theater , a theme park , skating rink and a bowling alley .

Qatar 's interior minister , Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani , said the civil defense office reviews safety standards for commercial buildings before they grant a license .

`` The investigation will clarify all the circumstances of the incident and find out the shortcomings and question those who are responsible in order to tackle the matter in the future , '' he said in remarks carried by QNA .

Along with the children and teachers , two would-be rescuers died in the blaze , Interior Minister Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani said in a statement posted on the ministry 's Facebook page . Another 17 people were injured , including four children , but most of them were firefighters , he said .

Several of the dead were from Qatar 's expatriate community . Four were Spanish nationals , a spokeswoman for Spain 's Foreign Ministry said Monday .

A three-year-old French child died in the blaze , France 's foreign affairs ministry said .

And New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said it was `` likely '' that three of the dead were triplets , estimated at between two and three years of age , from `` a New Zealand family . ''

Key said a consular official based in the Saudi capital Riyadh would soon go to Qatar `` to support the family , '' while the children 's grandparents were also heading there as well .

`` Obviously , there are some very serious questions that will need to be answered , '' said Key , who did not identify the children or their parents . `` But at the moment , we 're really just trying to wrap around all the support we can for a family that will be grieving . ''

Al Thani said everyone was believed to have been accounted for late Monday .

CNN 's Al Goodman and Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report .

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NEW : A French child is among the dead

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New Zealand says triplets may have been among the dead

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Thirteen of the dead were children , the Interior Ministry says

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Spain says four of its nationals were among the dead